Washing machine having independently actuated vertically reciprocating and oscillating agitators



Oct. 28, 1947. F. v. CHENEY 2,429,510

WASHING MACHINE HAVING INDEPENDENTLY ACTUATED; VERTICALLY RECIPROCATING AND OSCILLATING AGITATORS Filed Oct. 24, 1945 .3 Sheets-Sheet l FRANKLIN VI'CHENEY I 0 8. 1947- F. v. CHENEY 2,429,510

WASHING MACHINE HAVING INDEPENDENTLY ACTUATED VERTICALLY RECIPROCATING AND OSCILLATING AGITATORS Filed'Oct. 24, 1945 3 Sheets-Sheet? FIG. 8

SECTION A'A Inventor FRANKLIN V. CHENEY Octj 28, 19 41.

v. CHENEY ,429,610

F. WASHING 'IACHINE HAVING INDEPBNDENTLY ACTUATED'VERTICALLY RBGIPROQATING AND OSCILLATING AGITATORS Filed on. 24 1945 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 I I washing. i Oneof the objects of my invention is to pro- Patented Oct. 2 8, 1947 UNI STATES; PA

WASHING MACHINE HAVING INDEI END- ENTLY ACTUATED VERTICALLY RECIPRO- CATING AND oscmmrmeaerrarons Franklin V. Cheney, N ew York, N. Y., assignor of thirty percent to Charles Gross, Sputeri Dyvul, and John Jay McKelvey, Newf York, N. Y., as

trustees Application ctober 24, 1945 Serial'No. 624,256

This invention relates to clothes washing machines and is' designed thoroughlyto cleanse gare ments which are substantially soiled, such as artisans and children's outdoor apparel. The machineis, however, capable of handling and cleansing the most delicate fabrics without undue wear. v

In some agitator types of washers thereis a 5 single agitating action and a single zone washing area. While this cleans clothes which are not badly soiled, the action of the one-zone type or machine is ineffective in the cleansing oi badly soiled clothing.

The present invention comprises mechanisms which are adaptable to various sizes and'shapes of tubs, and has as a novel and distinctive 'iea' ture three (3) washing zones disposed one above the .,other, in which zones the garments are thoroughly agitated without any undue strain or wear, the action being such as to pass the clothes mm zone to zone, and gently scrub, squeeze, and

flex the garments in the several zones during vide mechanism having two'movablefand coop erating instrumentalities so ,disposed .as to be manipulable and eflectivein the washing zones.

Another object 01 my invention is to produce alternating .and oppositely directed currents of washing liquidabove one another, operating successively on the'garments.

A further object is to provide mechanism which creates vigorous currents of liquid flowing in irregular paths so as to maintain the respective articles being washed in a'separated condition and eliminate the objectionable tangling of the clothes which obtains in some .01v the usual types of washing machines.

Another object isfto provide a mechanism which flexes, rubs, and squeezes the garments without undue wear, which results are very de- 9 Claims. I (01. 63 4131) f sirable, either in the handling of delicate fabrics,

or in;the-washing of badly soiled articles.

Another object is to provide a mechanismin which the successive currents of liquid inthe two lower washing zones are substantially equal in force, although opposite in direction, as dis-,

tinguished' from some of the one-zone types in which a reciprocatingagitator is provided which imparts to the liquid impulses which aremuch greaterin one direction than in .the opposite. direction, such unequal action causing a uni directional flow oi the washing liquid andclothes, which results in massingthe clothes, instead of keeping them, in separated condition. In the ter.

' machin herein'disclosed, the articles move in-a;

definitely irregular zig-zag direction in their travel through the difierent zones of the machine, 1

and; do not, therefore, become entangled with onev another, Further, the surfaces of thegarments are subjected individually to a gentle-rubbing, flexing, andsqueezing' action. I

thedrawings herewith, one embodiment of my invention is disclosed, and'in said drawings:

Figure -1 is e, view-in vertical section of a wash.- ing machine embodying my invention, some of: 1

the parts being shown in elevation. FigureZ is a view substantially. on the line mentalities.-

mechanism, parts being in section. V

Figure 4 is a detail sectional view-substantially on the line B--B of Figure 2. Figure 5 is a detail sectional view on the line 0-0 oiFigure 2.

Figure 6 is a detail view on substantially the line D--D of Figure 2, showing thee-deflector oscillating mechanism.

Figure '7 is a viewoi the oscillating mechanism v on jsubstantiallythe line E-,-E of Figure2. I

FigureB is an end view of the housing for the actuating mechanism partially broken away to show the interior. i i

Figure 9 is a detailview of the border of the deflector showingthe rubber edge protector.

Referring to the drawings by numbers, "like: numbers indicating like parts in the several views, l0 indicatesa tub which maybe of any suitable size and shape, a round tub being preferable, hav- The side walls of this tub slope ing a bottom II. to the. bottom wall H, and the bottom may be provided with a drain H of any suitable chara'c-' The tub. rests upon a frame l3 having'sup-' I porting legs,- and it'is provided with'a cover I4.

Mounted within the tub is anagitator made up of a convex plate I5 of a rigid non-corrosive ma terial, preferably cylindrical in shape, with its convex wall facing'upwardly. The plate I5 is se-- cured in any suitable manner,.as by riveting, to

a lower plate i6.- Between plates i5 and 16' is secured a flexible member i1. Convex plate I5 I and the; plates i6 and I] will be heldrigidly in a place on a vertically reciprocable hollow shaft by any suitable. means- The hollow shaft carrying the agitator is mounted so as to reciprocate through the bottom of the tub andgive up and down movements to the agitatonas willbe pointed out in describing the operating mechanism.

TENT Q FI A.l-;-f of Figure 3, parts being in section, showing the actuating '-mechanism for the washing iinstru-w:

Figure 3 is a top plan view ofhthe actuatingi1- substantially. I

edge which will not tear the articles when the deflector is oscillated, and when the clothes are acted upon between the deflector and agitator on the upward stroke of the agitator. This deflector is of rigid non-corrosive material, and is provided on its upper surface with fins 23 which may be of rigid or semi-flexible material, but which do not extend above the top of the deflector. These fins have no sharp corners or angles and their upper-edges are rounded, as indicated in the washing fluid and the garments are subjected to a thorough agitation in the two different zones A and B, the travel of the garments being in a zig-zag path upwardly to the surface of the liquid. They willthen descend into the zone C which flexes, separates, and spreads, by the action of the fins, the liquid and the garments, which are then drawn downwardly and inwardly by suction between the top of the agitator and theskirt of the deflector, so that in the zone B .the garments are subjected to a gentle rubbing and squeezing action against the rubber ring 22.

On the upstroke of the agitator the fluid and the clothes will be' forcedoutwardly past the flexible periphery of the skirt ll of the deflector, and subjected to a squeezing action and also to the rubbing and flexing action of the flexible periph- Figure 9, so that the garments under treatment cannot be injured. s

when themachine is in operation'with both the agitator and the deflector in action, the agi: tator will reciprocate vertically under the action of its driving mechanism. Movement of the agitator downward creates an outward impulse in theliquid between the agitator and the bottom of the tub." At'the same time, there will be an inward impulse or current between the top of the agitator and the border of the deflector. On upward rnoveme'nt of the agitator the currents or impulse'actions will be'reversed. These currents set up by the rising and falling agitator move liquid inwardly and outwardly, and the flexible member I! aids materially in setting up these currents. Further, this flexible flange protects the garments from engagement with the rigid agitator and eliminates the chances of injury to the garments.

This action of the agitator is effective in two zones, namely, in the zone A (see Figure 1) between the agitator and the bottom H of the tub, and in the zone B between the agitator and the deflector. With this arrangementof the parts, very effective washing is produced and the clothes will be flexed, squeezed, and rubbed, but the irregular and independent impulses will keep them from becoming entangled and tend to advance them in an irregular, zig-zag path,flrst downwardly from the top surface of the liquid, into zone C, thence into zone B, and finally into zone A. It wi11 be understood that the action starts in zone A, and under the impulses generated by the reciprocating agitator and the oscillating deflector, the liquid and the clothes will pass successively'through the different zones.

The movement of the liquid and clothes under the influence of the agitator will be supplemented by the action of the deflector. Thisdeflector, as stated, does not move vertically, and, therefore, cooperates with the upward movement of the agitator which imparts impulses to the washing liquid and the clothes. The deflector, however, is effectivein the zone C of the tub, in that its oscillations, by reason of the fins 23, create successive impulses laterally, tending to drive the washing fluid into and through the articles being cleansed; Further, the action of the deflector fins setting up the successive lateral impulses, insures the separation of the articles of clothing as they come within the zone of the oscillating deflector.

With the instrumentalities operating jointly,

cry of the member ll.

On this upward stroke of the agitator the inward impulse created below the agitator will draw the liquid and clothes in wardly into zone A, between the agitator and the bottom of the tub, where they will be subjected to further cleansing action.

The agitator and deflector hereinbefore described may be driven by any suitable mechanical One desirable type of driving.

instrumentalities. means is here shown. The mechanism will be encased in a housing 24 suspended in any suitable manner below the bottom of the hub. Such housing may be oil-tight, so as to provide for sealing the mechanism which runs in oil.

A prime motor 25, herein shown as an electric motor, although any suitable type may be used, is provided, the shaft 26 of which is supported in bearings 21 in the housing 2|. Shaft 26 carries the driving means for actuating agitator and deflector in the tub.

The agitator is mounted for vertical movement on a hollow shaft 28 which passes through an oil seal in the top of the housing 24 and a seal 29 in the bottom of the tub. The seal 29 shouldbe of such construction as to permit'the shaft 28 to reciprocate and at the same time prevent water from escaping from the tub. The seal here shown is a bellows seal formed of suitable material and secured in any suitable fashion to the lower plate N5 of the agitator at its upper end and to the bottom II of the tub about the opening therein. Attached to hollow shaft 28 is a bracket 30 having a slot 30" which is engaged by a drive pin 3| on a gear 32 rotatably mounted in a bearing 33 in the housing. Gear 32 is actuated by pinion 34 on shaft 26, and through pin 3|, bracket 30, and vertically reciprocating sleeve 28, agitator is reciprocated. The speed of reciprocation may be adjusted to particular needs. From 400 to 450 vertical reciprocations per minute have been found useful.

A shaft 35 extends vertically through hollow shaft 28 and supports the deflector 20 above the agitator. Shaft 35 is held against vertical movement but is oscillated to impart oscillating'movement to the deflector 20. One means of effecting these oscillating movements is here shown, this mechanism being actuated from the shaft 26 of motor 25. On power shaft 26 between the bearings 21 is mounted a worm 36 which engagesa horizontally disposed worm gear 31 on a shaft 21'. The shaft 21, carries a drive disc 35 provided with a pin 40. Said pin 40 engages a slotted arm 4| on a rack bar 42 mounted in a fixed guide 43 which directs the movements of the rack bar. Said rack bar 42 meshes with a drive gear 44 on deflector shaft 35, so that when the rack bar 42 is reciprocated through thepin and slot connecof oscillation of 90 and a speed-oi between fifty and sixty oscillations per minute have been found useful. a 3

Arranged as described the mechanism is efiective toimpart the required vertical reciprocations to the. agitator and oscillations to the deflector,

all from rie"ii"lotor and itadrive shaitfeliminating the necessity of I complicated mechanism,to

bring about" the vertical movements of the agitator and' the horizontal'oscillations of the deflector.

In operationthe agitator reciprocates between the bottom .ofthe tub and the at roppositemovements partedi'to'theliquid, one] outwardly in zone Aas the agitator'moves down toward-the bottom, and one: inwardly as the agitator moves away from the deflector; One outwardly in zone B as the agitator moves uptoward the vertically fixed deflecton. and one inwardly between the agitator andathe bottom as the agitator-moves away from th6"bOtt0m.. When the deflector is oscillated the on the deflector set up lateral impulses in zone-C, these impulses being intermittent as the oscillations offthe deflector are reversed.

These several impulses effect distinct and successive actions on the garments with the result that. they are subjected to thoroughcleansing. The impulses in-the several zones create currents outwardly and inwardly, and the pulsating actionsgive the liquid and garments a zig-zag movement'in a-path which leads outwardly, then upwardly, returning toward center at or near the surfaceof'the liquid, and then the garments sink downwardly tcbe again acted on by the washing instrumentalities. The cone of deflector 20 extending above-the water line prevents entanglement of the clothes andtends to direct them" downwardly.

With a: tub from twenty-two and'to twenty-.

fourinches in diameter, which is about standaid forpresent day machines, the following dimensions and distance of travel strokes of the agitator and-deflector have been found to be satisfactory.

The full strokeof the agitator will be .one and three-fourths inches. On its down-stroke it will travel to within one inch of the bottom of the tub. On its up-stroke it will travel to within onehalf. to three-fourths of an inch. of the edge of the deflectorr In diameter the plates of the agitator will be six inches and the'flange of the flexible plate between the agitator plates will extend one. and one-fourth inches beyond the peripheries of the agitator plates, giving an overall diameter of eight and one-half inches.

The border of the deflector will have an overall diameter substantially equal to the diameter of the-agitator plates, that is, six inches.

Th dimensions of the agitator and deflector and the distances and the speedcf the travel strokes of each, as here given, have been worked out in. connection with a tub of standard dimensions, that is twenty-two to twenty-four inches in diameter. It will be understood that for larger or. smaller tubssubstantially the same relative proportions will. be maintained, the dimensions and travel strokes of the moving parts being proportioned to. meet the dimensions of the particular tub.

It will'be understood that while a particular deflector so that lateral impulses are imspeed, of movement to .suit

type of mechanism is here shown,such variations from-the construction disclosed as-are within the skill of the mechanic, and which out departing from-the purview of the invention.

I claim: s a i 1. A washing machine comprising a tub, a vertically reciprocable article contacting agitator po-' sitioned near the bottom of said tub, an oscillating deflector having liquid impulse-creating means independent of' said reciprocable agitator,

. means forreciprocating said agitator to' create lateral liquid impulses in'different'zones on-e'ach said 1 deflector bemgvertically spaced from said agitator and, fixed against vertical movement,

zone vertically spaced from the a itator zones;

2. A washing machine comprising a tu bgan article contactingagitator mounted-for alternat ing vertical movements in said tub, means for reciprocating said agitator, an independent deflector fixed against vertical movement disposed above said agitator and having a horizon! tally extended border; said deflector being provided with vertical fins, and means for oscillating said deflector.

3. A'wa'shing machine comprising a tub, an agitator mounted for'vertical movement in said tub and having a convex upper surface, means for reciprocating said agitator, a circumferential flange of flexible material extending horizontally beyond the outer edge of said agitator, a deflector fixed against vertical movement disposed above said agitator and having a central recessed dome and a horizontally extended border provided with vertical flns. and means for oscillating said deflector.

4. A washing machine comprisinga tub, a vertical shaft mounted for reciprocation in said tub, means for reciprocating. said shaft, an agitator carried'by said shaft, a flange of flexible material extending horizontally'beyond the outer edge of said agitator, a second shaft mounted for'oscillation in said tub, means for oscillating said second shaft, and a deflector having a horizontally extended border provided with vertical flns mounted on said second shaft.

5. A washing machine comprising a tub, a vertical hollow shaft mounted for reciprocation in said tub, means for reciprocating said shaft, an agitator carried by said shaft, a flange of flexible material extending horizontally beyond the outer edge of said agitator, a second shaft mounted for oscillation in said tub and traversing said vertical hollow shaft, means for oscillating said shaft, and adeflector having a horizontally extended border provided with vertical flns mounted on said second shaft.

6. A washing machine comprising a tub, a vertically reciprocable agitator positioned near the bottom of the tub and having a convex upper surface, means for reciprocating said agitator, a flange of flexible material extending horizontally beyond the outeredge of saidagitator, a deflector having a recessed central dome and an extended.

fall within the scope of the appended claims, may be made withhaving a recessed central dome and an extended substantially horizontal border having a rubbercovered edge, and means for oscillating said defle'ctor.

8. A washing machine comprising a tub a vertically reciprocable agitator and an oscillatable coned deflector in said tub, a hollow agitator-reciprocating shaft cuzpled to'said agitation and extending through the bottom of said tub and into said coned deflector to a point above the normal water line of the tub, a seal between said hollow shaft and the bottom of said tub, an oscillating shaft traversing said hollow shaft and connected to said deflector, means for reciprocatingsaid hollow agitator shaft, and means for oscillating said deflector shaft;

9. A washing machine comprising atlib a vertically reciprocable agitator and an 'oscillatable coned deflector in said tub, a hollow agitator-reciprocating shaft coupled to said agitator and I extending through the bottom 01' said tub and into said coned deflector to a point above the normal water line of the tub, a bellows seal between said hollow shaft and'the bottom of said tubjan t oscillating shaft traversing said hollow shaft and connected to said deflector coneat a point above the range of movement of said hollow agif tator shaft, means for reciprocating said hollow agitator shaft, and means for oscillating said deflector shaft.

FRANKLIN CHENEY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the I:

file of this patent:

Otto May 24, 1892 

